She's That Founder: Business Strategy and Time Management for Impactful Female Leaders

054 | Beyond The Wardrobe: Breaking Business Growth Barriers with Style with Courtney Robinson

• Dawn Andrews • Season 1 • Episode 54

Share episode

Send us a text

How do you show up authentically in business without compromising your faith and values? 

In this episode, we get real about the struggle many female entrepreneurs face: dressing in a way that gets noticed and moves your business forward without compromising your faith and values. 

Courtney Robinson from Image by Courtney spills her secrets on how to make a faith-aligned fashion statement that commands respect and makes a lasting impact. 

She shares her wisdom on embracing minimalism while staying true to your essence and evolving your style to attract the right business connections. Plus, you'll hear transformative client stories and practical tips on creating a functional, impactful wardrobe that screams confidence and authenticity. 

Get ready to rethink your closet and your business approach!


In this episode, you’ll …

  • Learn 3 powerful ways for female founders to align personal style with business goals to enhance leadership and executive presence.
  • Discover how to use color psychology to make a bold, faith-aligned fashion statement and command respect in the business world.
  • Discover why most female founders fail to make a lasting impression and how personal style can revolutionize your leadership.


This episode at a glance:

[08:43] We really only wear 20 percent of our wardrobe, so that gives you some indication that most of what you have in your wardrobe really doesn't align with who you are.

[11:01] How we dress really is a reflection of our beliefs and our values as you alluded to.

[12:48] Make sure that you're wearing colors that compliment you, but also want you to understand what you're communicating when you wear that color.

[19:24] Find those key pieces that you can wear that as soon as you step into them, you feel empowered and confident and ready to take on the world.

[30:04]  Make sure that how you show up is how you want to show up, what you want to be known for, and that it represents the substance of who you are.


Resources and Links mentioned in this episode


You might also like



Want to increase revenue and impact? Listen to “My Good Woman” for insights on business strategy and female leadership to scale your business. Each episode offers advice on effective communication, team building, and management. Learn to master routines and systems to boost productivity and prevent burnout. Our delegation tips and business consulting will advance your executive leadership skills and presence.

My Good Woman
Ep. 54 |  Beyond The Wardrobe: Breaking Business Growth Barriers with Style with Courtney Robinson
 

Courtney Robinson: style is a silent communicator and there's psychology in everything, but especially in color, what are you trying to emote?  it's partly about what you look good in. We want to make sure that you're wearing colors that compliment you, but also want you to understand what you're communicating when you wear that color.

Dawn Andrews: Welcome to the My Good Woman podcast where we help female founders break past plateaus and get to the next level of business growth by refining their strategy building systems and streamlining operations. 

I'm Dawn Andrews. The founder and CEO of free range thinking business strategy consulting. Join me each week for candid conversations, with culture, shifting glass ceiling busting trailblazing women who are leading impactful enterprises and grab their strategies to help your business reach extraordinary levels of growth. 

[00:00:55] Dawn Andrews: Many female entrepreneurs struggle with presenting themselves in a way that's both authentic to their personal faith and values and effective in the business world. And the challenge is to show up with authority and without compromising your personal beliefs and style along the way. There's a fine line between maintaining your, spiritual identity and making a powerful impression in the competitive arena of entrepreneurship.

[00:01:22] Dawn Andrews: So today. In this empowering episode, we are talking to Courtney Robinson from Image by Courtney, and we get to explore that transformative power of combining faith and fashion. in this episode, you're going to learn how to make a bold, faith aligned fashion statement and command respect and make a greater impact.

[00:01:40] Dawn Andrews: Courtney's going to share her insights on embracing minimalism without losing your essence and evolving with time because, oh God, I'd like, I know when I look back, I mean, just take a think about what you look like in your high school yearbook versus what you look like now. Evolving with time, to your core values and attracting the right business connections through style that speaks to your conviction and authority. My good women, please. Welcome Courtney Robinson. Thanks so much for being here. 

[00:02:10] Courtney Robinson: Hello Dawn,, and thank you for having me. I'm excited to be here.

[00:02:13] Dawn Andrews: We're going to have the best conversation. Cause you know, I love a good outfit and I'm also terrible at putting them together. So I'm like, I'm coming for all the wisdom you have to offer today.

[00:02:25] Courtney Robinson: Very good. Lots of really good stuff to unpack. So I'm excited.

[00:02:29] Dawn Andrews: I'm so glad. , well, why don't we start a little bit? Tell me about yourself and how this came to be your work in the world.

[00:02:35] Courtney Robinson: Sure. So I have a degree in biology and chemistry. I actually serving corporate right now in clinical research as a client oversight manager. So I have used a lot of what. I've done with my clients on myself, right? As I've kind of, grown and developed professionally. so for the last seven years, alongside my corporate role, I have built image by Courtney and really just decided to support women with their visibility how they're choosing to show up. And how that translates, like you mentioned earlier, with their impact and authority in the spaces that they're in.

[00:03:15] Dawn Andrews: why did you choose that, Courtney, of all the ways that you could support women and even women in their visibility, why did you choose this particular path?

[00:03:24] Courtney Robinson: well, it's interesting when we go back in our history and our story, there are always a few seeds that were planted. I think about talking with my mom and asking her, tell me a little bit about myself when I was little. What did I enjoy doing? And she said, Oh, you know, You used to have the sketch pad and you would sketch outfits for days, and you were really into, dressing and showing up and even wanted to change clothes several times a day.

[00:03:47] Courtney Robinson: And she was like, Oh, it was crazy. You know? , so those were the early years, but in the latter years, some of the seeds were planted With my colleagues, , asking, I love how you dress, do you work with a stylist? And I thought, no, I just have this natural penchant for putting things together and really enjoyed that.

[00:04:05] Courtney Robinson: It was really therapeutic in a way for me. And also a way to Become visible in a good way, right? Because I noticed that when I would show up as the best version of myself, that that would spark interest, especially in the corporate world when I was working in the office at that time.

[00:04:23] Courtney Robinson: So really it was just seeds that were planted. You know, someone told me if you were a stylist, I would completely work with you. So when I made a transition moving from North Carolina to Georgia and I was looking for more community, I thought, what a better way than to start a business that would allow me to serve women.

[00:04:40] Courtney Robinson: And so that's when he really where it started. I thought I can really teach women, what I know or what I've learned in terms of using style and fashion as tools,

[00:04:51] Dawn Andrews: I'm also hearing your chemistry background coming through here too, like combining elements if you will, you know?

[00:04:57] Courtney Robinson: Absolutely. I mean, outfit planning is just that learning how to mix and match things to get what you need. And so I, completely embraced, , the ability to serve women on that level. I've always had a penchant for serving women in some way, whether it's been through, Bible studies or just women's groups and things like that. So styling was just the icing on the cake in terms of it allowed me to really employ that creativity. But also make a deeper impact, on women because it's not just about the clothes.

[00:05:27] Dawn Andrews: What have you noticed in styling women and helping them become more visible? Obviously you're making an impact for them and then they're going out and doing what they do. What transformations have you seen from working with your clients kind of before and after stories? 

[00:05:40] Courtney Robinson: mostly has been in how they see themselves, A lot of women feel invisible. They feel like they're not standing out, that they don't command the respect or the authority that they would like, , that they're kind of hidden, if you will, in plain sight. And so really the work that we do together is to help you.

[00:06:00] Courtney Robinson: Number one, see who you are in Christ, but then also help you appreciate those things about yourself that maybe don't always, resonate. The message that we tell ourselves and then the things that we hear from other people. Oftentimes those are different. sometimes it just takes like a style mentor or someone who sees you differently than you may see yourself to point those things out.

[00:06:20] Courtney Robinson: Right? And to say, How do those values that you have and who you are really line up with your purpose , and what you're here to do? 

[00:06:27] Dawn Andrews: so what's an example of that? Cause I'm, kind of imagining you up in my closet and there's the technical part of it. what's in here. Why is it important to you? Do you feel like it represents you, you know, the technical questions. And I can also see myself breaking down crying as we go through things because you realize that you've made choices, like not crying over the fashion that maybe you don't need in your closet anymore, but just that there were choices that you made that really didn't represent your fullest self, or you bought that thing when you just weren't at your best or because you thought it would, do something or represent you in a particular way that it didn't. how does it look in real life when you engage with a client?

[00:07:05] Courtney Robinson: Well, how it looks is I'm working with women leaders, right? And, the most recent is, , I had an executive who, , was growing in her role in the C suite and started to work with an executive coach. And her coach, who I'm close to, and it's dialed, said, I believe you could benefit from working with Courtney and learning how to embody who you are, how to show up as the most authentic version of who you are.

[00:07:31] Courtney Robinson: How do you distinguish yourself in the C suite? What makes you different from your colleagues? What, , what are you bringing to the table? But more so, how do they see that visibly? Right?

[00:07:40] Dawn Andrews: Yeah. So how does that play out through once you get it onto their bodies? what was different for her once you found her approach? Yeah.

[00:07:48] Courtney Robinson: that was the interesting part. so she was someone who had a closet full of clothes, hundreds of pieces. When we actually uploaded everything to her virtual closet, I said, are you kidding me? I couldn't believe she had that many clothes. And so for her, that was the issue, right? Because less really is more.

[00:08:07] Courtney Robinson: So she had decision fatigue because if you go, when I had her do that exercise, she said, you know, I thought I needed a new Navy blazer, but when I went through the exercise and, , uploaded everything, I actually have eight Navy blazers. She said, so I don't need another Navy blazer. to your point that you made earlier, sometimes we're making.

[00:08:27] Courtney Robinson: Investments that are not intentional, 

[00:08:30] Courtney Robinson: right? Because your wardrobe should be functional and streamlined. And if you've got eight of anything, unless they're in different colors, that's not really serving you in a way that's helping you, , show up in a way, that is aligned with who you are. So it's about being intentional in the pieces that you're choosing to add, but then also how are those pieces resonating with others, right?

[00:08:53] Courtney Robinson: First, I do think it's important to get dressed for yourself. It's important for me to feel empowered and confident in everything that you wear. It's also important for you to know that how you dress is sending a message and communicating something to those that you interact with.

[00:09:08] Dawn Andrews: Well, and it sounds like in her eight Navy Blazers, there's a whole conversation that's going on there with her internally, like a combination of probably should or have to, or supposed to. Like, this is what an executive dress is like. This is what a powerful woman dress is like.

[00:09:23] Dawn Andrews: This is how the men in the office dress or, On the flip side of that, it might be like, I feel great when I wear Navy and I've forgotten that I've bought this seven times and maybe I'm not feeling so powerful today. So I bought another one, you know?

[00:09:37] Courtney Robinson: Exactly. We, we really only wear 20 percent of our wardrobe, so that gives you some indication that most of what you have in your wardrobe really doesn't align with who you are, then sometimes I question whether the 20 percent that you're wearing also really resonates with who you are or if you're just wearing it out of convenience, right?

[00:09:56] Dawn Andrews: I'm like, have you seen my cheeks start turning red? you've hit the nail on the head there. Woo. I get busted for my 

[00:10:02] Courtney Robinson: Yeah. Well, and that's the work that we did, right? So, and by her actually physically touching every single piece in her closet, we could arrive at whether or not those things were things that actually aligned with where she was right now. Or whether those were emotional purchases, , retail therapy, , lots of different things, and a lot of it was like, Oh, I can remember when I took that trip to Europe and, you know, I went shopping in this, , boutique in Paris and I just wanted to get something unique.

[00:10:33] Courtney Robinson: so tell me when was the last time that you wore that? 

[00:10:35] Courtney Robinson: And she can't remember. Because if you haven't worn anything, I would venture to say right now within the past six months, then it probably isn't something that you're even really concerned about. It's going to move the needle for you.

[00:10:47] Courtney Robinson: And so if you get rid of that, what would be the harm in getting rid of it? It really just opens you up to embrace and tap into those things that are really authentic about yourself. 

[00:10:58] Dawn Andrews: for sure. I want to call that out in our conversation because, , I don't think there's one female executive among us who hasn't clicked on some sort of, article about capsule wardrobes or, , the eight pieces that you need to have to whatever the end of that sentence is.

[00:11:15] Dawn Andrews: But part of the reason why I was really intrigued and was excited to have this conversation with you is because of the connection between faith and values and how you show up. So can you tell me a little bit more about how working with you or how in your belief system, What is the connection between faith and personal style?

[00:11:33] Dawn Andrews: And maybe if you have an example of how aligning those two aspects significantly transformed the confidence or the business success of one of your clients, like how did those two come together for somebody and really, change something for them?

[00:11:47] Courtney Robinson: Sure. , and thank you for that question. I love it because I feel it does differentiate me as a personal stylist and a style mentor in terms of how we dress really is a reflection of our beliefs and our values as you alluded to. , I don't think a lot of people have taken time to really consider what those things are.

[00:12:07] Courtney Robinson:  Maybe we use those terms very loosely, but when it gets down to it,  can you tell me how, what you're choosing to wear reflects your values and reflects your beliefs?  If you can't, then that means that that hasn't been an intentional choice in terms of merging your faith in your fashion.

[00:12:26] Dawn Andrews: Well, and I would imagine why people hire you because it's a whole, it's a different language to learn. , I could say, my values are courage and adventure and partnership and compassion and love. and I am clear and I can tell you how those extend in the choice of clients that I work with, the activities that I do with my family, the books I like to read, I can see them in, other tangible facets of my life. But if I said does this sweater represent love to me? Do I feel like this is love on my body outside in the world? I mean, honestly, this one might be, and yes, it's navy blue, but I feel good in navy blue, so you know, I show up as my best self when I'm wearing this color. had we not been in this conversation, it wouldn't even be in my consciousness,

[00:13:10] Courtney Robinson: Sure. Well, the main thing is, understanding that, style is a silent communicator and there's psychology in everything, but especially in color, what are you trying to emote?  it's partly about what you look good in. We want to make sure that you're wearing colors that compliment you, but also want you to understand what you're communicating when you wear that color.

[00:13:32] Courtney Robinson: So when you think about Navy, Navy is another neutral. We think about black and white and cream and brown and all those things. Navy is another form of neutral, but it communicates something a little bit differently, And so that's the important thing is understanding what's behind those colors.

[00:13:49] Courtney Robinson: Understanding what, it's communicating. There's the whole enclosed cognition piece of it too, which is, dressing for success in terms of what we choose to put on can also impact our productivity.

[00:14:03] Courtney Robinson: If you're wearing pajamas all day versus actually intentionally choosing put things on I mean, those things, we don't really pay attention to that, but if you do, you might be able to see some instances where, getting dressed and looking a certain way really impacted how you went about your day.

[00:14:22] Courtney Robinson: like, for instance, the Navy sweater that you're wearing, Navy communicates, trustworthiness, depth, professionalism, , Navy really adds seriousness to an outfit. that's what happens. Color is really an influential force in fashion, and that's what I want my clients to understand is the power of color psychology, So it's really beyond the aesthetics. It's really about shaping people's perceptions, their emotions, and how they experience you through what you've chosen to wear. 

[00:14:56] Dawn Andrews:  I was thinking about this because, we're hockey fans over here and, Watching, not necessarily the games. Cause when you're watching the games, everybody's in a uniform, but watching the commentators in hockey, it's not like the NFL where there's a lot of money and prestige and everything around it, the NHL is definitely funded, but most of the people that are commentators.

[00:15:14] Dawn Andrews: are probably styling themselves. They have a, some sort of, wardrobe budget and they're making their own selections. And there's one announcer, Don Cherry, famous for what they call hockey night in Canada.  And he wears suits that are the loudest. biggest, craziest prints every time he's on camera.

[00:15:34] Dawn Andrews: It starts a conversation. He is now known for those crazy suits, you know, whether that's something that I would choose for myself and, or choose to start a conversation that way. I don't know, but it's such a, On point example, and then there are other players like P. K. Subban, who is one of the few black players in the NHL,  who always is dressed impeccably and starts a conversation with his outfit and it is quiet and sly, much like his personality.

[00:16:02] Dawn Andrews: it just is so interesting to see, the different choices that people are making , that are already visible entities. And think about how much we overlook that when it comes to our, professional approach.

[00:16:13] Courtney Robinson: Absolutely. And there are a couple of key words that you said in that, that I would point out that are applicable to, women building their businesses and their brands. What do you want to be known for? And that speaks volumes in terms of leveraging your wardrobe, to work on your behalf.

[00:16:30] Courtney Robinson: It really can be this amazing communication tools to get across powerful messages, just by what you're wearing. And the two examples that you gave speak to that perfectly. All of us have the opportunity to do that, that very thing.

[00:16:45] Dawn Andrews: It's so interesting because I think the personal branding conversation is one that, has been on the rise for at least a decade now. people are talking about it, even with the rise of AI, people are talking about using AI to help build their personal brands, and I wonder how many people actually consider wardrobe.

[00:17:00] Dawn Andrews: Like, really considerate. there certainly are some that do, and they show up and we see that, but I'm realizing that it's one of those, like, I will put hours and hours into refining and focusing my business, who my ideal client is, how I want to be able to connect with them, what they're struggling with, how I want to support them, and I put on my navy blue turtleneck again for another podcast episode. You know what I mean?

[00:17:25] Courtney Robinson: Exactly. And you know, therein lies the point that, , where are you putting your focus and for getting the impact. that something so seemingly simple as getting dressed can really magnetize people to you,

[00:17:40] Dawn Andrews: Well, let's talk about the power of that because, so I'm taking, what you're sharing with me along with that idea that we're only using 20 percent of what we got in our closet. share with me a little bit about. business moves quickly. People are popping on and off social media and scrolling past your face and whatever it is that you're sharing in seconds.

[00:17:57] Dawn Andrews: impressions are formed so fast. how do you guide your clients to embrace that minimalism, let's make this an impactful 20 percent in their fashion choices while making sure that they're still making that strong authoritative impact in their professional setting or in their social media box or whatever it is.

[00:18:15] Courtney Robinson: So it's exactly what you mentioned before, this whole capsule wardrobe concept, right? And you can have many capsules or you could have one capsule. I tend to want to focus on, a seasonless capsule, meaning that I can wear my items across the seasons. But just for purposes of this conversation, if you are someone who is client facing and have a lot of these visibility, then you really do want to make sure that Your outfits are closely aligned with your authenticity  because how you show up each and every time, every touch point, either reinforces your brand or does not. So you have an opportunity to be known for something like the coach that you mentioned or not.

[00:18:56] Courtney Robinson: And that's just the simplest way. Like you said, impressions matter. People size you up in just a few seconds before you even have an opportunity to open your mouth. They've already made an impression about you based on how you chose to show up.

[00:19:10] Courtney Robinson: And so if if you knew that you could impact whether or not you were going to resonate with someone based on how you chose to show up in just a few seconds, would you take advantage of that opportunity to make that impact?

[00:19:23] Courtney Robinson: I would venture to say that question, you know, the answer is yes. if you could tell me what to wear, show me what to wear in order to make the biggest impact and to feel authentic 

[00:19:33] Dawn Andrews: Yeah. 

[00:19:34] Courtney Robinson: with who I am.

[00:19:34] Courtney Robinson: Sure. I would do it.

[00:19:36] Dawn Andrews: Oh, I think, I can't imagine one among us wouldn't do that, but that's why they, they need your help. Because in all the skill sets that one must develop in building a brand and building a business yep. Another thing, for all the things. 

[00:19:50] Courtney Robinson: part of it, right? Is how it saves you time, Many of us are strapped for time. You're running from meeting to meeting, you know, nobody has time to like get dressed several times a day for different things. So

[00:20:02] Courtney Robinson: find those key pieces that you can wear that as soon as you step into them, you feel empowered and confident and ready to take on the world that allows you to hone in on your expertise and you're not worried about what you're wearing. So you really only do the work once and iteratively, Because we evolve. And, you don't want to be wearing what you wore in high school. Now, if you've grown and evolved, you know, you want to dress your now body. You want to show up as who you are today, right now. And, sometimes it's only a few tweaks, , your personality. Is what it is. I don't think that necessarily changes, but the spaces and the places those things change.

[00:20:43] Courtney Robinson: And I think it's important for you as an entrepreneur also to be able to honor the community and the cultures that you're a part 

[00:20:50] Courtney Robinson: of 

[00:20:50] Dawn Andrews: This is I'm so curious, like Evolving style, you know, I was joking around about my high school self, but if you consider that a person's values likely remain consistent,

[00:20:59] Dawn Andrews: the list that I gave you, if I look back over my life, those probably were true, though they may not have been identified until later in life.

[00:21:07] Dawn Andrews: trends come and go, you have a personal style, you have these core values. how does one stay current? When, you know, jeans rise and fall, colors come and go, and what advice do you give to the entrepreneurs that you're styling to help them stay anchored in what they believe, meanwhile the world has decided that, low rise, wide leg jeans are now the thing, 

[00:21:30] Courtney Robinson: yeah. You cannot follow every trend. And every trend is not for you. So you really need to hone in on what's that style that I can embrace that works for me. That's timeless and classic, Because when you invest in statement pieces, anchor pieces, um, Those are investments that you're making that you shouldn't have to replace for quite some time.

[00:21:53] Courtney Robinson: Like, I've made some pretty awesome investments that I've had for well over a decade. Now, whether I can fit into it is another thing. But the piece itself , is classic and timeless. And so you have to find those things that work for you, that don't date you, or don't make you look less sophisticated.

[00:22:11] Courtney Robinson: Then you really are,  , a lot of that comes down to fit, right? We're wearing things that are either way too big or way too small. So really dressing your now body. I can't emphasize that enough. Fit is king in terms of finding things that really make you look well put together.

 

[00:22:30] Dawn Andrews: How do you have that conversation with somebody you've engaged, they're working with you, and it's time to have the, your clothes are too big, your clothes are too small, or both conversation? how do you delicately Approach that subject with someone because , I'm sure it's really charged.

[00:22:46] Dawn Andrews: Getting up in somebody's closet is an intimate experience. 

[00:22:49] Dawn Andrews: How do you 

[00:22:50] Dawn Andrews: handle that?

[00:22:51] Courtney Robinson: I would agree. It definitely is. Well, I need their permission. It's about gaining that trust and they have to trust me from the start. . And I'm, thinking if you hired me, you trust that I'm working for your greater good. and that the things that I'm saying are really, said in love and from a professional standpoint in wanting to help you really elevate.

[00:23:13] Courtney Robinson: and take your style to the next step really is just assessing whether women are ready for that or not, because you're right. Some women are very emotionally charged. They're in places where emotionally they're not ready to make that transition. So you do have to be ready for that work because it is, it's work, right?

[00:23:31] Courtney Robinson: even cleaning your closet is work because if you've got a closet full of things that you never wear, and you've got to go in there and figure out. What stays and what goes. And I help you with that there are 10 really important questions that I ask to help you, , weed out the things that no longer work for you

[00:23:48] Dawn Andrews: What's an example of one of those questions that's a little more in depth? Cause, , we all have the, have you worn it in the last six months? Do you love it? Is it a color that looks nice on you? all reasonable questions and ones that do need to be, I think, to keep us honest. We need someone like yourself to be able to go through things and truly answer those questions. So I don't mean to write those off as inconsequential, but they're like first level, let's break this in slowly questions. But what's an example of one of those deeper questions?

[00:24:14] Courtney Robinson: I think the one that holds most depth for me is how does it make you feel when you wear it?

[00:24:19] Courtney Robinson: Simple. sometimes that's hard for people to answer, but have you even really considered that? 

[00:24:23] Courtney Robinson: When you put that on, how does it make you feel?

[00:24:26] Courtney Robinson: And if you don't feel like you can take on the world or like super woman, then yeah, 

[00:24:31] Courtney Robinson: that's not, the thing. those are not easy choices, but I think ultimately you have to decide that you really want to show up as the best version of yourself. 

[00:24:40] Dawn Andrews: Let's shift gears for a second because we're two business ladies talking about business. I'm curious for you, what's the growth process for you right now with your business? since you're living that yourself, I'm curious how maintaining personal style can help other business owners.

[00:24:56] Dawn Andrews: Mm hmm. Who are in a growth phase and everybody's juggling too many things to count. how can style connected to your values help with your business growth?

[00:25:04] Courtney Robinson: Well, it can motivate you in terms of really getting the visibility that you need. just like it's a silent communicator, it's also a silent motivator in terms of when you look good, you feel good, you do good. So you're just more energized in your days to do what it is you need to do, , in terms of wanting to show up, wanting to be in spaces, , wanting to make an impact.

[00:25:31] Courtney Robinson: And, I play this little game with myself. I was telling my coach this the other day. I said, when I get dressed for the day, if I don't get a compliment. I didn't do something right. And it's not external validation that I'm looking for by any means. It's more, did it resonate with someone?

[00:25:47] Courtney Robinson: Did I show up in a way that made an impact on somebody? And the only way you know that is if they compliment you in some way.

[00:25:53] Dawn Andrews: I totally get that. you were talking about , it's a silent communicator. So if you were having significant conversation with somebody, you'd be checking in with them. Like, Are you understanding, feedback to me what you understood or what you heard?

[00:26:06] Dawn Andrews: you'd be calling for some. validation that the communication you were delivering actually got received in the way you intended. 

[00:26:14] Courtney Robinson: Absolutely. Great way of summarizing that for me. that's what it is. and it pains me that. Some people will say, nobody cares what I look like. Nobody cares how I show up. And I'm like, wow. So to me, that's some inner work that needs to be done, right? Because before you're doing it for anyone else, you really have to do it for yourself. does it matter to you how you choose to show up? that's the first question. And if it does, then dress to your best advantage. Mm 

[00:26:42] Dawn Andrews: How do you keep it all together? So I'm curious with every female founder that I talk to, what the glue is that's holding their business and all their decisions together. you already shared at the top of our conversation that you're in the corporate world and you have your business on the side that you're growing. There's a lot of, pieces there. You have a natural talent for showing up and creating how you want to be seen in the world. 

[00:27:05] Dawn Andrews: But what are some of the tools, what's the glue that holds all of this together for you?

[00:27:09] Courtney Robinson: Really the glue is, understanding who I am, my own essence, who Courtney is at the core.

[00:27:17] Dawn Andrews: And who is Courtney at the core?

[00:27:19] Courtney Robinson: I think Courtney at the core is someone who is, very all about administration, all about helping, all about holding space. Being able to, show people a reflection, a true reflection of themselves, I think everybody needs someone who can hold space for them in that way, 

[00:27:38] Dawn Andrews: And so what else, like, even from a practical perspective, everybody has their opinions about Jeff Bezos. I can't live without ordering things from Amazon.

[00:27:47] Dawn Andrews: I gotta do that to be able to keep this whole machine working. And then there are apps and online tools and things that I use, for your business and for yourself as a business owner, are there things that really help you? 

[00:27:58] Courtney Robinson: from a tool perspective, I don't think I can do anything without my calendar. I don't know, I've always been a natural organizer. So for me, I rely heavily on my notes app in my iPhone. I probably have like a thousand notes that I probably need to go back and delete some of those.

[00:28:16] Courtney Robinson: but I have ideas, you know, when you're a creative and we all have that. Bone in us somewhere, maybe some more than others. , you're constantly getting this flood of ideas and I'm in this season right now where God is really speaking to me in so many ways about how my own life and business and the trajectory of where I'm going is changing.

[00:28:35] Courtney Robinson: And so I'm being very sensitive to those downloads 

[00:28:38] Courtney Robinson: and I have to like, get them written down those ideas and those things that are for know, I'm just, I'm, And then also for my clients and my future clients as well. Whether it's journaling, writing down or getting the note in my phone, it's being able to record all of my ideas and not letting those slip by, even in the middle of the night when I'm having ideas, I'm like, how do I like not, Wake my husband up 

[00:29:02] Dawn Andrews: up while I'm doing this. Yes.

[00:29:04] Courtney Robinson: Exactly, because I've got to get this written down. I've got to get this idea out. So yeah, any type of repository that helps you think there's this book it's all about, making space for, generating those ideas and organizing those ideas for yourself.

[00:29:20] Courtney Robinson: And, you know, as a business owner, why that's important is because that's your growth mechanism, right?

[00:29:26] Courtney Robinson: you're coming up with ideas that grow you, that grow your people, whatever your business is. How do you evolve? How does that move? How do you get depth in your business and in your domain. And a lot of that is by, all the things we do, reading, absorbing, taking in things, content,

[00:29:43] Dawn Andrews: Synthesizing it and then being able to deliver it on behalf of your, clients. Yeah.

[00:29:48] Courtney Robinson: So how do you do that? I know a lot of women are really into journaling. I'm kind of half and half with that. I mean, it just really depends on the time, but if I can leave a voice note, you know, for myself or record something or transcribe it, that's, huge for me in terms of just, , being able to hold onto that idea and refer back to it.

[00:30:07] Dawn Andrews: Super helpful. So as we wrap up our conversation, there's one question that I ask everybody. Imagine yourself in Times Square and you are surrounded by all of those big sparkly billboards. the largest one is for you to share a message with female founders. What would you want that message to be?

[00:30:28] Courtney Robinson: Wow, that's a great question.

[00:30:31] Courtney Robinson: I've been thinking about refining my tagline lately in terms of, what represents me and it's, make sure that your style is personified and that your substance is magnified.

[00:30:43] Courtney Robinson: So it's really that, again, that faith in fashion fusion, make sure that how you show up is how you want to show up, what you want to be known for, and that it, represents the substance of who you are. style personified substance magnified. That's what I would say. That's what I would put on my, billboard.

[00:31:01] Dawn Andrews: That's certainly who you've been in our conversation today. 

[00:31:04] Dawn Andrews: I love what you just shared for the billboard. I would love to see that walking through Times Square. 

[00:31:09] Courtney Robinson: Absolutely. So I have a new resource called the Purpose Palette Persona, and it's a quiz, and who doesn't love quizzes, that will tap into all of the elements that we just discussed today. So your values, , what you're meant to do, your purpose in this world, all those things that you're attracted to as far as, color psychology is concerned.

[00:31:31] Courtney Robinson: And then also those barriers, what's keeping you hidden in plain sight, what's keeping you from showing up.

[00:31:38] Dawn Andrews: I love it.

[00:31:39] Dawn Andrews: So when you're ready, and you know, you want to work with Courtney, and this has been resonating with you, check the show notes for the link to the quiz so that you can find out your purpose palette persona.

[00:31:50] Courtney Robinson: Persona.

[00:31:51] Dawn Andrews: Love it. I wanted to make sure I had all the Ps right. Courtney, thank you so much for joining me today. It, thanks for being one of my good women. And I'm really glad that you were here for the podcast 

[00:32:00] Courtney Robinson: thank you. And that means a lot. that's really great.

[00:32:03] Courtney Robinson: Thank you for having me, Dawn. I appreciate you.

 

 

[00:32:07] Dawn Andrews: Hey, fabulous listeners. Thank you for tuning into another episode of the migrant women podcast. If you love today's chat, I've got a little secret to share with you. Are you a kick ass female founder, looking for your tribe. A place where you can get real business advice, share wins, tackle challenges, and just be surrounded by other amazing women who get it. 

[00:32:28] Dawn Andrews: Then join us in the female founder society on Facebook. In this group, we dish out practical tips, host live Q and A's and provide a supportive space where you can truly thrive. Think of it as your go-to spot for all things business and beyond. So don't wait, hop on over to Facebook search for the female founder society 

[00:32:48] Dawn Andrews: And hit that join button. trust me. You'll want to be part of this powerhouse community. Remember it, life is more fun when you bet on yourself and you play together. Keep dreaming, big taking bold actions and turning those dreams into reality. And until next time, this is Don Andrews signing off. Cheers to your unstoppable success.